Congolese brothers Israel and Max Makoka detained by ICE after school transfer in Mississippi
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Apr 29
Congolese brothers Israel and Max Makoka detained by ICE after school transfer in Mississippi
8 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Apr 29
ICE agents arrested Israel Makoka, 18, and Max Makoka, 15, outside their guardians’ home in Diamondhead, Mississippi, moving them to separate facilities in Louisiana and Texas.
The brothers, both leaders at Hancock High School, were detained after transferring from Piney Woods School, which affected their F-1 visa status despite legal guardianship.
Their detention has deeply affected their school and local community, with students and teachers expressing concern and heartbreak over the sudden removal of the brothers from their lives.
How did two star athletes' American dream turn into a detention nightmare?
Are these teens casualties of a wider U.S. crackdown on international students?
A simple school transfer led to detention. Who is responsible for guiding student visa holders?
Can a legal path for 'abandoned' youth save the Congolese brothers from deportation?
With a new U.S.-Congo deal, what fate awaits deportees sent back home?
Should immigration law treat a teen's procedural mistake the same as an adult's violation?